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Review Schenker XMG P723 (Clevo P370SM) Notebook

Gaming powerhouse. Schenker Technologies goes all out with their XMG P723. While a quad-core processor and a Full HD display might not be that out of the ordinary, a configuration with two GeForce graphic cards is not something you see every day. Does the SLI configuration make any sense or would a single GPU be the better choice?
XMG Logo

For the original German review, see here.

Unlike Asus, Toshiba, or Gigabyte, Schenker Technologies lets the customer be part of the notebook configuration process: the homepage (mysn.de) offers a variety of different components, which allows customers to spec out a system according to their individual wants and needs.

The XMG P723 features a staggering array of options. The customer can select either a glossy or a matte display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels (we recommend the non-glare panel) and various quad-core processors from Intel's Haswell generation. In addition to the Core i7-4700MQCore i7-4800MQ, and Core i7-4900MQ (all have a TDP of 47 Watts), Schenker also offers the more frugal Core i7-4702MQ (TDP 37 Watts) and the outrageously expensive Core i7-4930MX (TDP 57 Watts). Since the processor is hardly ever a limiting factor, one of the lower-end CPUs is usually sufficient - regardless of the graphics card.

Speaking of the GPU: depending on the configuration, the system houses either a single GeForce GTX 780M or two GTX 765M or GTX 780M in an SLI setup. Since the XMG P723 has four RAM slots, a maximum of 32 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM is possible. For most users, more than eight gigabytes of RAM are usually overkill.

One of the most standout features is the fact that the notebook can house up to four hard drives - not many competitors offer two mSATA and two 2.5-inch slots. The online configurator allows the user to not only select regular platter-based hard drives, but also modern SSDs and SSHDs (hybrid technology). The choice of the optical drive should be a little easier: in addition to the DVD-RW drive, Schenker also offers a Blu-ray burner or a caddy for an additional hard drive. Even the wireless module and the keyboard language are configurable. 

The base system, which retails for 1700 Euros (~$2200), does not include an OS - although Windows 7 or 8 are available for a surcharge. Our review model - specs are listed on the right - sells for about 2750 Euros (~$3600).

Case

Soft-touch surfaces
Soft-touch surfaces

Visually, the high-end notebook looks a lot like the predecessor XMG P722. This is not really surprising, since the Clevo P370SM barebones the P723 is based on, is really just a minor update of the older P370EM.

At 419 x 293 x 54 millimeters (16.5 x 11.5 x 2.1 inches), the notebook is larger than many 17-inch competitors, but still more compact than other dual-GPU systems. The 18-inch Alienware M18x R2, for example, measures 436 x 323 x 55 millimeters (17.2 x 12.7 x 2.2 inches).

The same is true for the weight: the Alienware M18x R2 with two graphics cards weighs in at over 5.5 kilogram (~12.1 pounds) - the Schenker XMG P723 tips the scales at a relatively modest 4.4 kilograms (9.7 pounds). We would be hard-pressed to call this notebook "mobile" though, as it is not really suited for frequent transport. Part of the problem is the substantial 330 Watt power adapter, which measures 197 x 97 x 42 millimeters (7.8 x 3.8 x 1.7 inches) and weighs in at 1240 grams (2.7 pounds) (XMG P722: 1544 grams/3.4 pounds).

As far the color scheme is concerned, the new notebook is fairly unobtrusive - but the lines are quite modern for a Clevo-system. The materials are a mixed bag: Clevo uses both rubberized plastic (lid, palm rest), and metal (keyboard area). The latter surface shows fingerprints rather easily. At least Clevo does not use a lot of glossy parts: aside from the touchpad, all surface areas are matte.

Despite the substantial dimensions, the overall sturdiness leaves a lot to be desired. In addition to the lid, the fan exhaust area flexes and can be pushed in easily. Overall build quality ranges from OK to good. Users looking for a premium gaming notebook should consider the Asus G750 or a system from Alienware.

Connectivity

Ports

The port selection leaves nothing to be desired: four USB 3.0 ports are on board, accompanied by four audio jacks (S/PDIF, line-in, headphone, microphone), and a 9-in-1 card reader. The notebook also features an eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, a Kensington lock slot, an RJ-45 Gigabit LAN connector, and HDMI out.

We are a little surprised by Clevo's decision to replace the DisplayPort with a Thunderbolt port. On the one hand, the latter should ensure that the notebook is fairly future-proof - but on the flip side, there are not many devices available yet. We would have liked to see a third video out included - even an old-fashioned analog VGA port would fit the bill. Since the barebones also does not come with a FireWire port, the connectivity score just falls short of an "A".

Aside from the audio ports, which are a little too close to the front edge, the location of the various ports ensures that cables do not get in the way when peripherals are plugged in. The 17-inch notebook also comes equipped with a webcam (2 megapixels), a microphone, a TPM 1.2 chip, and a fingerprint reader.

Wireless Communication

For Wi-Fi connectivity, Schenker uses a Centrino Advanced-N 6235 module from Intel, which also - unlike the less expensive Wireless-N 2230 - supports 5 GHz and not just the 2.4 GHz band. Depending on the environment and hardware, the higher-frequency band can improve connection quality.

Both adapters also offer an identical maximum transfer speed of up to 300 Mbit/s and support Wireless Display, Smart Connect, and Bluetooth 4.0. Our range test showed about average performance.

Left side: Kensington Lock, RJ-45 Gigabit Lan, card reader, 4x sound
Left side: Kensington Lock, RJ-45 Gigabit Lan, card reader, 4x sound
Back: HDMI, USB 3.0, power jack, USB 3.0
Back: HDMI, USB 3.0, power jack, USB 3.0
Right side: optical drive, eSATA / USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, Thunderbolt
Right side: optical drive, eSATA / USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, Thunderbolt

Maintenance

As far as maintenance and upgradability are concerned, the verdict can only be "outstanding". As common with Clevo barebones, nearly all components can be removed and swapped out. The generously sized cover on the bottom allows access to two of the RAM slots, one mSATA slot, the WLAN module, the processor and both graphic cards. The system fans are removable - as are the heatsinks. Cleaning the fans or applying a fresh layer of thermal compound is therefore possible.

Convenient: the 2.5-inch hard drive openings are easily accessible after removal of the smaller cover, which is attached with a single screw instead of the usual four. Even the removal of the keyboard should not pose much of a problem (see photos). The second set of RAM slots and the other mSATA slot are located underneath the keyboard.

Step I: detach keyboard bezel in the middle
Step II: remove screws
Step III: lift out the keyboard (careful - there are two wires)
Step-by-step guide for keyboard removal
Pre-installed software
Pre-installed software

Software

Schenker notebooks are known for their clean Windows installs. The XMP P723 is no exception: aside from the drivers and hardware tools, no bloatware is preinstalled (see screenshot to the right). The notebook is therefore quite speedy right out of the box.

To get the last bit of performance, the GPU driver needs to be updated. At the time of writing, the XMG P723 ships with ForceWare 311.44, which quite a few revisions behind. For our review, we updated to version 320.49. The official Nvidia drivers seem to work without any issues.

Accessories

Quickstart guides and the lack of recovery DVDs are quite common now - but the P723 includes a user manual in several languages, a DVD with drivers and tools, and a cleaning cloth. Our review model also shipped with a trial version of Nero 12 Essential; users who opt for an OS also get the original Windows media DVD.

Warranty

The base warranty in Germany is 24 months. For around 100 Euros and 200 Euros (~$130 / $260), the warranty can be extended to three or four years, respectively. Depending on the warranty package selected, Schenker promises a quick-repair service for six to 24 months. The pickup and return service mentioned on the website is only available in Germany, however.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The backlight features several adjustment levels
The backlight features several adjustment levels

The keyboard quality is decent, but not outstanding. We like the 3-zone keyboard backlight, which features several adjustment levels.

Although some areas are slightly darker, overall backlight brightness is pretty even. If desired, the software (“Fn” + “/” on the number pad) can be used to activate different modes. Thanks to the backlight, the notebook can be used in absolute darkness.

A drawback - at least in our opinion - is the layout of the keyboard. In addition to the Enter key, which only occupies a single row, we had issues with the position of the “><|”-key. The Fn key - which is used for special functions like display brightness, volume, etc. - is also to the right of where we would expect it. The “0” in the number pad is half as wide as it should be. A distinct advantage, however, is the standard-sized arrow keys. The layout of the keyboard reminds us a lot of the one MSI uses for their notebooks (see for example the GT70).

In one area, the keyboard has been improved significantly: the stiffness of the keys - which we criticized in our review of the XMG P722 - has now been reduced, which leads to a more pleasant typing experience. The other problems we reported (keyword reliability) also appear to have been addressed. Despite the changes, the feedback is still excellent and the keyboard noise is neither too quiet nor overly loud. The size of the keys - 17 x 17 millimeters including the beveled edge - should also please most users.

The backlight is either solid-colored...
The backlight is either solid-colored...
...or split up into three zones.
...or split up into three zones.

Touchpad

The touchpad is a huge disappointment. Clickpads - which lack dedicated mouse buttons since the whole surface area is clickable - are usually not quite as solid and sturdy as normal touchpads. In the case of the P723, the touchpad flexes significantly on the right side, which hampers the perceived quality. In fact, the touchpad just seems cheaply constructed (à la Lenovo IdeaPad Y500).

The delicate and glossy surface also does not win any points in our book: the sticky nature of the surface does not allow fingers to glide easily. The Synaptics ClickPad V8.1 could also be a bit more precise; in addition, we found it difficult to determine the point a click would register. All in all, we would prefer a conventional touchpad instead.

The fact that multi-touch gestures (zooming, scrolling, turning) work very well and the generous size of the touchpad (107 x 77 millimeters/4.2 x 3.0 inches) prevent an even worse score. Although the touchpad is not centered underneath the space bar, we still recommend deactivating it when playing games.

Keyboard
Keyboard
Touchpad
Touchpad

Display

No matter if the user chooses the glare or non-glare display version: the 17.3-inch display features a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The high pixel count and the size of the screen should make even demanding gamers happy. The display is also quite usable when several windows are open at the same time. Our review notebook shipped with the non-glare Chi Mei N173HGE, which is used in many gaming notebooks (for example, MSI GT70 and Acer Aspire V3-772G). The XMG P723 therefore inherits all known strengths and weaknesses of this particular panel.

328
cd/m²
321
cd/m²
323
cd/m²
308
cd/m²
332
cd/m²
294
cd/m²
334
cd/m²
340
cd/m²
307
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N173HGE (CMO1720) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 340 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 320.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 332 cd/m²
Contrast: 949:1 (Black: 0.35 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.27 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.82 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
54.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.79

Let's talk about the positive aspects first: the Chi Mei N173HGE is known for its above average brightness of 320 cd/m². Standard display panels usually are about one-third less bright.

The black value of 0.35 cd/m² is also better than what most competitors are capable of. Blacks appear fairly saturated - low-end panels often have issues in this department and darker scenes look distinctly gray. The high contrast of 950:1 also outperforms most standard displays.

Schenker XMG P723 vs. sRGB
Schenker XMG P723 vs. sRGB
Schenker XMG P723 vs. AdobeRGB
Schenker XMG P723 vs. AdobeRGB
Schenker XMG P723 vs. Schenker W503
Schenker XMG P723 vs. Schenker W503
CalMan: Grayscale
CalMan: Grayscale
CalMan: Saturation Sweeps
CalMan: Saturation Sweeps
CalMan: ColorChecker
CalMan: ColorChecker

The display does have a few issues, however. For one, the finish of the panel appears granular in nature - almost like if a fine layer of sand was covering the display. Most users will not have an issue with this peculiarity, though.

We also noticed that the screen - depending on the color and the brightness setting - sometimes suffers from horizontal banding. Although we only saw the effect when looking very closely, it can nonetheless be distracting. We think that the lack of graphics switching is to blame (the display is powered by the external graphics card and not the integrated GPU). Other notebooks with the same panel do not seem to have this issue.

Banding Schenker XMG P723
Banding Schenker XMG P723
Banding Schenker XMG P723
Horizontal banding Schenker XMG P723

Professional users should stay away from the XMG P723. Color accuracy - according to the software tool CalMAN - is not that great out of the box. Color space coverage could also be larger (note that the average user will not see a difference).

The Chi Mei N173HGE display panel shows its strengths outside. The combination of high brightness and non-glare surface guarantees that the notebook is very usable even on bright and sunny days.

Outdoor use Schenker XMG P723
Outdoor use Schenker XMG P723
The Schenker XMG P723 outdoors

Although the vertical viewing angles are slightly limited, the display does quite well compared to its competitors. Low-end TN panels do not stand a chance. Aside from a slight yellow cast, the picture quality remains high in the horizontal plane even at more extreme angles. Movie night should be a success even if several people are watching the screen at once.

Viewing angles Schenker XMG P723
Viewing angles Schenker XMG P723

Performance

Processor

Haswell
Haswell

Although the chassis remains more or less unchanged from the predecessor, the internal components have been updated significantly. Instead of a motherboard with a HM77 chipset (Panther Point), the XMG P723 is equipped with the new HM87 motherboard (Lynx Point).

Although Intel's new Haswell architecture only comes with a very modest power gain across the board, there is no question that the processors of the series are the best choice for gaming. For our review model, we selected the quad-core Core i7-4800MQ, which features a clock speed of 2.7-3.7 GHz and six MB L3 cache just like the lower-end Core i7-4700MQ (the Core i7-4900MQ comes with eight MB).

All aforementioned processors support Hyperthreading, which adds a virtual core to each physical core. The manufacturing process has not changed in 2013 - Intel still uses 22 nm technology. Since the XMG P723 does not support graphics switching, the processor-integrated HD Graphics 4600 remains inactive.

Systeminfo CPUZ CPU
Systeminfo CPUZ Cache
Systeminfo CPUZ Mainboard
Systeminfo CPUZ Memory
Systeminfo CPUZ SPD
Systeminfo HWiNFO
Systeminfo GPUZ
Systeminfo Nvidia
Systeminfo CrystalDiskMark (SSD)
Systeminfo CrystalDiskMark (SSHD)
Systeminfo HDTune (SSHD)
Systeminfo DPC Latenzen
System information Schenker XMG P723

Turbo Boost

Automatic CPU overclocking works - at least for our test system - without any issues. Even when playing resource-intensive games like Hitman: Absolution (third screenshot), Turbo Boost was able to overclock the Core i7-4800MQ far beyond its base frequency - we saw 3.6 GHz for a single core and 3.5 GHz for multiple cores. 

Only when the CPU is stressed to the max, the Turbo Boost technology is close to inactive. When we ran FurMark and Prime95 in parallel (stress test), the processor frequency stabilized at around 2.8 GHz. At no point did we observe any throttling.

Single Core Rendering
Single Core Rendering
Multi Core Rendering
Multi Core Rendering
CPU & GPU load
CPU & GPU load

CPU Performance

Although the higher price for the Core i7-4800MQ might not be justified in all cases, the difference in performance is noticeable when running very CPU-intensive programs. Case in point: the Multi-CPU sub-test of the Cinebench R11.5 benchmark test. The Core i7-4800MQ scored 7.5 points - 9% higher than the Core i7-4700MQ (6.9 points, One K56-3N2) and 18% higher than the Core i7-4702MQ (6.36 points, Acer Aspire V3-772G).

No surprises during the Single-CPU test: the score of 1.65 points is exactly 10% higher than what the Core i7-4700MQ (1.5 points) is capable of. The Core i7-4702MQ is slower by about 14% (1.42 points). Users trying to save some money should opt for the lower-end processors - the difference during gaming is hardly noticeable.

Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
7225 Points
Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
6565 Points -9%
Core i7-4702MQ
Acer Aspire V3-772G
6131 Points -15%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
26702 Points
Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
24348 Points -9%
Core i7-4702MQ
Acer Aspire V3-772G
22359 Points -16%
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
7225 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
26702 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
6831 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.65 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.5 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
65.7 fps
Help

Graphics Card

GPU Boost
GPU Boost

"Brand new" might be a bit of an exaggeration - the new GPUs are updates that are still based on the well-known Kepler architecture. Since Alienware is going to send us a review model of the new M18x with two GeForce GTX 780M GPUs, we selected the GeForce GTX 765M SLI instead.

The (slightly slower) GeForce GTX 760M and the GeForce GTX 765M can be considered the entry point into the realm of high-end graphics cards. Looking at the core frequency of 850 MHz (902 MHz with Boost) and 2000 MHz memory speed one might think that the new GPU won't be able to outperform the GeForce GTX 660M (also 835/2000 MHz) - but that's not the case, since the GTX 765M features twice as many shader units (768 vs. 384 CUDA cores) and is hence more powerful.

During our review of the Schenker W503, we determined that the new graphics card performs similar to the GeForce GTX 670MX, which has more shader units (960 CUDA Cores), but a lower GPU frequency. One shortcoming of the GeForce GTX 765M: the memory interface is only 128-bit - not exactly overwhelming. 2048 MB of GDDR5 VRAM, on the other hand, should be sufficient.

The SLI version of the notebook uses two graphics cards bundled together, which theoretically should increase the performance by 100%. Note the emphasis on "theoretically": for a game to take advantage of the second GPU, the driver needs to have a profile activated. Even though Nvidia usually does a good job in this regard, it can happen from time to time that a game is only marginally faster with two graphics cards - or not at all. During our test, we encountered two games: Company of Heroes 2 (not integrated into ForceWare 320.49 yet) and Dirt: Showdown.

Another issue of dual-GPU configurations is micro stuttering. Since both graphics cards are responsible for rendering in turn, delays can be an issue and lead to visible stutters (especially noticeable when the frame rates are lower). In cases like that, 30 fps can suddenly appear like 20 fps. Only a few, very demanding titles pose issues for the GeForce GTX 765M SL (Metro: Last LightCrysis 3Far Cry 3, and Sleeping Dogs) - in most cases, the GPUs are fast enough to avoid a degradation in gaming performance. 

Another negative is the extremely high cooling and power requirements. Dual-GPU notebooks are usually designed for advanced players who will not have an issue with updating the drivers every couple of weeks - so that is not necessarily a negative. By the way, activating and deactivating SLI requires a system restart.

7.7
Windows 8 Experience Index
Processor
Calculations per second
8
Memory (RAM)
Memory operations per second
8
Graphics
Desktop performance for Windows Aero
7.7
Gaming graphics
3D business and gaming graphics
7.7
Primary hard disk
Disk data transfer rate
8.1

GPU Performance

Let's talk about DirectX 11 performance, which is - not surprisingly - outstanding. During Unigine Heaven 3.0 (1920x1080, high, normal tessellation), the SLI-combo reached 66.7 fps and managed to outperform a single GeForce GTX 765M by 85%, while lagging behind the GeForce GTX 780M by 12%. While the GTX 765M tops out at 36 fps (Schenker W503, ForceWare 311.27), Nvidia's high-end card manages 76 fps (Schenker XMG P703, ForceWare 311.27). The level of performance is very close to the GeForce GTX 670MX SLI, which reached 66.1 fps half a year ago (DevilTech HellMachine, ForceWare 310.61).

The notebook does exceedingly well running the 3DMark 2013 benchmark test. The 17-inch system scored 5351 points for the Fire Strike GPU score (4891 without the driver update). The SLI-combo as such is not only faster than a single GTX 765M (2638 points, Asus G750JW, ForceWare 320.21), but – thanks to the new driver - also outperforms the GeForce GTX 780M (5244 points, One K56-3N2, ForceWare 311.27).

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49)
Schenker XMG P723
7897 Points
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27)
Schenker W503
4103 Points -48%
GeForce GTX 770M (311.27)
One K73-3N
5187 Points -34%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27)
Schenker XMG P703
7900 Points 0%
Unigine Heaven 2.1 - 1280x1024 high, Tesselation (normal), DirectX11 AA:off AF:1x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49)
Schenker XMG P723
95.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27)
Schenker W503
49.7 fps -48%
GeForce GTX 770M (311.27)
One K73-3N
65.5 fps -31%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27)
Schenker XMG P703
99.7 fps +5%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
25180 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
25643 points
3DMark 11 Performance
7349 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
134875 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
18530 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
4475 points
Help

Storage Devices

AS SSD Benchmark
AS SSD Benchmark

The high price of our review system is in part due to the hard drive configuration. In addition to two 1000 GB hybrid drives, the system is also equipped with a 512 GB mSATA SSD. The Samsung PM841 scores well in almost all categories - from access time (0.06 ms read, 0.03 write) to transfer rates.

A 518 MB/sec sequential read speed is quite respectable - and so is a sequential write speed of 319 MB/sec (although some mSATA SSDs are faster - for example the Toshiba HG5d). Smaller data blocks are also no issue for the PM841, as it outperforms most competitors. The Samsung SSD scores over 900 points in the AS SSD benchmark test.

The two hybrid drives - also known as SSHDs - also have their place in this configuration. Even though the rotational speed is rather low at 5400 RPM, the Seagate ST1000LM014 performs as well as faster 7200 RPM drives. We recorded sequential reads and writes of 100 MB/sec - quite acceptable. Users needing a lot of storage space should be very happy with this combo of mSATA SSD and 2.5-inch hybrid drives.

Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD512HAGL
Sequential Read: 534 MB/s
Sequential Write: 331.2 MB/s
512K Read: 436 MB/s
512K Write: 322.3 MB/s
4K Read: 31.93 MB/s
4K Write: 119.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 397.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 263.7 MB/s

System Performance

The system does not disappoint: the XMG P723 performs extremely well during our benchmark tests. The very high scores are not only due to the powerful processor and the SLI graphics cards - the very fast mSATA SSD is also responsible. The result of 22606 points is very close to the score of our current database leader (23558 points, One K56-3F) and outperforms both the powerful dual-GPU Alienware M18x R2 (22421 points) and the predecessor XMG P722 (22177 points). Note: depending on the selection of the hardware, these scores can vary widely.

PCMark Vantage Result
22606 points
PCMark 7 Score
6045 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Most games are playable even at their highest settings.
Most games are playable even at their highest settings.

Because of the decent driver support, most games are significantly faster when the second graphics card is utilized. Our benchmark table at the bottom shows that the SLI GPU-combo is between 30 and 100% faster than the single GTX 765M - most often, the difference is 70-90%. If we include titles without an SLI profile, the performance gain is about 75%

Some demanding games can push the single GTX 765M to its limit - in this case, the dual-GPU configuration still allows maximum detail and anti-aliasing in many cases. Only nine of the 32 games we tested dropped below 40 fps when we applied the highest settings. 

The SLI-combo unfortunately cannot outperform the GeForce GTX 780M - it lags behind by about 10%. Since a single graphics card stresses the system less and taking the price of Nvidia’s high-end card into consideration (about 90 Euros / $120 more), we would recommend opting for the GeForce GTX 780M instead. Compared to the older GeForce GTX 670MX SLI, the performance gain is also somewhat underwhelming (+14%).

GPU Overall performance
GeForce GTX 780M +11%
GeForce GTX 765M SLI Basis (average of over 30 games)
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI -12%
GeForce GTX 765M -43%
low med. high ultra
Battlefield 3 (2011) 153.3 120 103.7 43
CoD: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) 185.7 171.4 170.8 121.7
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 94.9 64.7
Anno 2070 (2011) 200.6 154.1 119.4 64.3
Alan Wake (2012) 152.6 89.8 44.3
Mass Effect 3 (2012) 60 60 60
Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012) 101.3 103.2 85.3 46.4
Diablo III (2012) 264.5 240.7 236.8 173.4
Dirt Showdown (2012) 123.1 93.8 90.2 34.1
Max Payne 3 (2012) 91.3 90.3 74 55.3
Darksiders II (2012) 198 116.3
Sleeping Dogs (2012) 172.9 129.3 104.8 33.8
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 272.2 264.2 251.2 196.5
Guild Wars 2 (2012) 118.3 65.9 42.3
F1 2012 (2012) 158 127 116 99
Borderlands 2 (2012) 147.2 128.5 119.7 90.4
Fifa 13 (2012) 650 465.5 359.2 305.4
Dishonored (2012) 130 130 129.9 128.3
Medal of Honor: Warfighter (2012) 188.8 156.1 131.4 49.6
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) 60 60 60 59.8
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) 260.6 219.3 144 94.9
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 67 62.4 55.8 29.3
Assassin´s Creed III (2012) 82.8 81.7 37.3
Far Cry 3 (2012) 122.3 120.8 84.9 30.6
Dead Space 3 (2013) 458 286.1 223.2 100.8
Crysis 3 (2013) 126.2 94.3 72.6 23.4
Tomb Raider (2013) 388.4 223.1 136.6 65.1
SimCity (2013) 179.4 66.7 55.1 30.3
BioShock Infinite (2013) 205.4 156.7 135.9 49.8
Metro: Last Light (2013) 90.3 76.2 53 34.4
GRID 2 (2013) 204.4 146.7 137.8 56.6
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 50.2 42 28 12.3

Emissions

System Noise

CPU fan
CPU fan

Not surprisingly, powerful components lead to a rather high noise level. Just like the 17-inch siblings P170SM (One K73-3N) and P177SM (Schenker XMG P703), the notebook is always audible. We recorded 37-38 dB(A) during idle - most other gaming notebooks stay below that level. The comparable MSI GT70 tops out at 30-32 dB(A) - even though it has fewer fans.

Under load, the system is also noisier than it should be: we recorded 45 dB(A) during the 3DMark 06 benchmark test - loud enough to be a deal-breaker for noise-sensitive users. Gamers who play a lot of action titles or use a headset should not have any issues though. The 53 dB(A) recorded are the peak reached during maximum load levels.

All in all, we find it rather disappointing that Clevo fails yet again as far as fan control is concerned. Since the GPU temperatures remain fairly moderate we do not think that the fans should be spinning at high RPM all the time - regardless of the load level (be it less demanding tasks or 3D performance). Other manufactures are able to manage the fan control and thus the system noise much better (see Asus G750).

Noise Level

Idle
37.2 / 37.6 / 38 dB(A)
DVD
38.8 / dB(A)
Load
45.4 / 53.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Stress test (Furmark & Prime)
Stress test

During operation, the surface areas of the chassis stay neither remarkably cool nor do they get uncomfortably warm. The averages of 30 °C (86 °F) during idle and 33 °C (91.4 °F) under load are certainly acceptable.

The fan system area of our review model remained fairly cool: the temperature topped out at under 40 °C (104 °F) - other notebooks, like the Alienware M17x R4 or the Toshiba Qosmio X870, reach about 50 °C (122 °F) in the same spot. The positioning of the 2.5-inch hard drives is not ideal though: when the drives are very active, the left palm rest heats up quite a bit (otherwise this area remains cool).

Temperature development of the individual components is a mixed bag: while the two graphics cards do not get any hotter than 70 °C (158 °F) even after running the stress test for an hour, the CPU can reach 100 °C (212 °F) according to the CPUID hardware monitor. A system configured with a Core i7-4900MQ or Core i7-4930MX and/or an SLI-combo of two GTX 780M GPUs is apt to push the cooling system even further.

Max. Load
 35.1 °C
95 F
36.2 °C
97 F
32.5 °C
91 F
 
 35 °C
95 F
34.8 °C
95 F
32.8 °C
91 F
 
 36.5 °C
98 F
28.3 °C
83 F
27.5 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Average: 33.2 °C = 92 F
31.3 °C
88 F
38.1 °C
101 F
38.4 °C
101 F
30.3 °C
87 F
31.6 °C
89 F
32.2 °C
90 F
27.2 °C
81 F
28.6 °C
83 F
33 °C
91 F
Maximum: 38.4 °C = 101 F
Average: 32.3 °C = 90 F
Power Supply (max.)  46.8 °C = 116 F | Room Temperature 24 °C = 75 F | Voltcraft IR-550
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.2 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.5 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.4 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.8 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 36.5 °C / 97.7 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-7.6 °C / -13.7 F).

Speakers

Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3
Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3

The sound system consists of two speakers and a subwoofer and is the result of a collaborative effort with Onkyo and Creative. The sound quality is quite good - we appreciate the high maximum volume and the decent bass.

The XMG P723 is not a top performer, however. Even though the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 technology increases sound presence and dynamic output, the notebook suffers from the usual deficiencies (especially noticeable when playing music): the sound is sometimes muffled, artificial, and tinny. Voices also do not always sound very natural.

Compared to standard notebooks, the sound quality is better - but the MSI GT70 with its Dynaudio system still sounds best of all.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The 17-inch notebook is not particularly frugal. Systems with Nvidia's Optimus technology usually consume less than 30 Watts during idle - but the XMG P723 needs 34-45 Watts. Even though the XMG P722 came equipped with a more powerful GeForce GTX 680M SLI-combo, it required less power (29-38 Watts).

Under load, the desktop replacement proves to be quite power hungry: 123 Watts (3DMark 06) is about as much as notebooks with the GeForce GTX 780M require - the Schenker XMG P703, for example, consumed 128 Watts. The system with the GeForce GTX 765M SLI-combo maxes out at 208 Watts, so the power adapter would not have to be quite as powerful and heavy. Since Clevo also offers a configuration with two GTX 780M GPUs, they only supply this particular high-wattage power adapter with the barebones. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 34.2 / 41.5 / 44.5 Watt
Load midlight 122.5 / 208.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

Maximum batter life (Reader's Test)
Reader's Test
Minimum battery life (Classic Test)
Classic Test

Without graphics switching, the battery life suffers: 1.5 to three hours are disappointing even for a gaming system. Utilizing modern power consumption technologies, some high-end notebooks last over four to five hours on a single charge (idle with the brightness turned all the way down).

The MSI GT70 is the poster child as far as the battery life is concerned: during medium load levels (DVD playback, web surfing etc.), the system lasts for 2-2.5 hours. Note that the performance decreases by about 50% (at least for the GTX 765M SLI).

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
2h 51min
WiFi Surfing
2h 24min
DVD
2h 02min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 31min

Verdict

Schenker XMG P723 (Herstellerfoto)
Schenker XMG P723

The high price of the Schenker XMG P723 is justified. Although there are several drawbacks - always the case with notebooks - the P723 works very well as a gaming system.

Depending on the hardware configuration, the 17-inch notebook comes close in performance to desktop gaming-PCs. Despite several disadvantages (micro stuttering, dependency on the driver, low mobility), the two graphics cards are very intriguing. The GeForce GTX 765M SLI is very powerful indeed and even brand-new games work well. The sound and picture quality of the system is also quite acceptable.

Potential buyers should be aware that this desktop replacement notebook is quite noisy. The well-controlled temperatures, the plethora of ports (Thunderbolt!), and the keyboard with 3-zone backlight can only partly make up for this drawback. The chassis is also not everybody's cup of tea: although some will appreciate how easy it is to upgrade and maintain the system, others will not like the clunky appearance, hefty weight, and mediocre touchpad.

All things considered, we can recommend the XMG P723 - especially since notebooks with dual GPUs are still a rarity and there is not a lot of competition. Most gaming aficionados would be pleased with the performance of a single high-end graphics card (GeForce GTX 770M or GTX 780M). At this point, we regard SLI and CrossFire notebooks still with a healthy dose of skepticism.

In Comparison

Company of Heroes 2 - 1920x1080 Maximum / Higher / High AA:High (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
12.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (320.49) / Core i7-4700MQ
Schenker W503
12.1 fps -2%
GRID 2 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
56.6 fps
Metro: Last Light - 1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
34.4 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
19 fps -45%
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
49.8 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
23.6 fps -53%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
28 fps -44%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
46.6 fps -6%
SimCity - 1920x1080 Ultra / High AA:on (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
30.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
23.9 fps -21%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
39.9 fps +32%
Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
65.1 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
31.7 fps -51%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
33 fps -49%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
65.3 fps 0%
Crysis 3 - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2xSM AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
23.4 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
14.2 fps -39%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
29.3 fps +25%
Dead Space 3 - 1920x1080 Very High Preset (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
100.8 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
70.4 fps -30%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
144.2 fps +43%
Far Cry 3 - 1920x1080 DX11 Ultra Preset (HDAO, Enhanced Alpha To Coverage) AA:4x MS (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
30.6 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
14.4 fps -53%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
27 fps -12%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
30.4 fps -1%
Assassin´s Creed III - 1920x1080 Very High (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
37.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
22.8 fps -39%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
31.2 fps -16%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
42.6 fps +14%
Hitman: Absolution - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
29.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
13.4 fps -54%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
24.7 fps -16%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
33.8 fps +15%
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - 1920x1080 (Extra) High / On, FXAA AA:4xMS (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
94.9 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
50 fps -47%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
51 fps -46%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
85.7 fps -10%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
95.1 fps 0%
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - 1920x1080 High / On (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
59.8 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
38.3 fps -36%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
29 fps -52%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
59.9 fps 0%
Medal of Honor: Warfighter - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
49.6 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
24.7 fps -50%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
47.2 fps -5%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
54.8 fps +10%
Dishonored - 1920x1080 High / On, FOV: 75 AA:FX (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
128.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
80 fps -38%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
72 fps -44%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
126.6 fps -1%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
125 fps -3%
Fifa 13 - 1920x1080 High AA:4xMS (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
305.4 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
237.4 fps -22%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
207.2 fps -32%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
307.7 fps +1%
Borderlands 2 - 1920x1080 (Ultra) High / On (PhysX low) AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
90.4 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
47.7 fps -47%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
78.9 fps -13%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
83.3 fps -8%
F1 2012 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
99 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
57 fps -42%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
79 fps -20%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
100 fps +1%
Guild Wars 2 - 1920x1080 All Maximum / On AA:FX (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
42.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
21.8 fps -48%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
27 fps -36%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
35.2 fps -17%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
41.2 fps -3%
Counter-Strike: GO - 1920x1080 (Very) High, FXAA AA:4x MS AF:8x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
196.5 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
106.9 fps -46%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
168 fps -15%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
194 fps -1%
Sleeping Dogs - 1920x1080 Extreme Preset AA:Extreme (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
33.8 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
14.2 fps -58%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
16 fps -53%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
26.7 fps -21%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
30.8 fps -9%
Darksiders II - 1920x1080 2/4 Shadows, No Ambient Occlusion, AA:Low (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
116.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
66.4 fps -43%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
113 fps -3%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
136.9 fps +18%
Max Payne 3 - 1920x1080 Very High, DX11 AA:Very High FX AF:8x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
55.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
29.6 fps -46%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
47.7 fps -14%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
54.5 fps -1%
Dirt Showdown - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
34.1 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
34.9 fps +2%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
31.4 fps -8%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
66.4 fps +95%
Diablo III - 1920x1080 High AA:on (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
173.4 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
104.3 fps -40%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
170.9 fps -1%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
188 fps +8%
Risen 2: Dark Waters - 1920x1080 Ultra / on AA:on AF:8x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
46.4 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
24.3 fps -48%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
46.1 fps -1%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
53.8 fps +16%
Alan Wake - 1920x1080 High Preset AA:4x AF:8x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
44.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
24.1 fps -46%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
45.9 fps +4%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
54.1 fps +22%
Anno 2070 - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:on AF:4x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
64.3 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
36.1 fps -44%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
50.8 fps -21%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
72.6 fps +13%
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:8x AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
64.7 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
35.4 fps -45%
GeForce GTX 765M (320.21) / Core i7-4700HQ
Asus G750JW
37 fps -43%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
63.4 fps -2%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
68.3 fps +6%
CoD: Modern Warfare 3 - 1920x1080 Extra, all on, Image Quality: Native AA:4x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
121.7 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
63.6 fps -48%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
115 fps -6%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
117.3 fps -4%
Battlefield 3 - 1920x1080 ultra AA:4x MS AF:16x (sort by value)
GeForce GTX 765M SLI (320.49) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker XMG P723
43 fps
GeForce GTX 765M (311.27) / Core i7-4800MQ
Schenker W503
22.1 fps -49%
GeForce GTX 670MX SLI (310.61) / Core i7-3630QM
DevilTech HellMachine
41.9 fps -3%
GeForce GTX 780M (311.27) / Core i7-4700MQ
One K56-3N2
50 fps +16%
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In Review: Schenker XMG P723 (manufacturer's photo)
In Review: Schenker XMG P723, courtesy of Schenker technologies.

Specifications

SCHENKER XMG P723
Processor
Intel Core i7-4800MQ 4 x 2.7 - 3.7 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M SLI - 2x 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 850 MHz, Memory: 2000 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 320.49
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8192 MB SO-DIMM DDR3-RAM PC3-12800 (1600 MHz), 4 slots, max. 32 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, Chi Mei N173HGE (CMO1720), TN LED, FullHD, 17.3-inch diagonal, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM87 (Lynx Point)
Storage
Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD512HAGL, 512 GB 
, mSATA-SSD + 2x Seagate ST1000LM014-1EJ164, 1000 GByte hybrid, 5400 U/Min, slots: 2x 2.5-inch& 2x mSATA
Soundcard
Realtek ALC892 @ Intel Lynx Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 eSata, Audio Connections: headphone, microphone, line-in, S/PDIF (7.1 analog), Card Reader: MMC,RSMMC,SD,mini SD,SDHC,SDXC,MS,MS Pro,MS Duo, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
TSSTcorp BDDVDW SN-506BB
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 54 x 419 x 293 ( = 2.13 x 16.5 x 11.54 in)
Battery
89 Wh Lithium-Ion, 5900 mAh, 15.12V, P370BAT-8, 8 cells, 450 grams
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 2.0 Megapixel
Additional features
Speakers: 2.1 (Onkyo, Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3), Keyboard Light: yes, Power adapter: 330 watts, user manual, cleaning cloth, driver-DVD, Nero 12 Essentials Trial, 24-48 Months Warranty
Weight
4.35 kg ( = 153.44 oz / 9.59 pounds), Power Supply: 1.24 kg ( = 43.74 oz / 2.73 pounds)
Price
2752 Euro

 

The XMG P723 is a rather unostentatious gaming notebook.
The XMG P723 is a rather unostentatious gaming notebook.
The manufacturer doesn't use a lot of glossy parts.
The manufacturer doesn't use a lot of glossy parts.
The lid has a rubberized coating.
The lid has a rubberized coating.
The desktop replacement weighs in at over 4 kilograms (dual GPU).
The desktop replacement weighs in at over 4 kilograms (dual GPU).
A plus: the system is really easy to maintain.
A plus: the system is really easy to maintain.
The height of 5.4 centimeters is substantial.
The height of 5.4 centimeters is substantial.
The lid doesn't tilt back very far (~130°).
The lid doesn't tilt back very far (~130°).
The XMG logo can be hard to see.
The XMG logo can be hard to see.
Full HD panels are a de facto standard for gaming notebooks.
Full HD panels are a de facto standard for gaming notebooks.
Greasy fingers leave lots of prints on the surface area.
Greasy fingers leave lots of prints on the surface area.
The chassis is mostly a carry-over from the predecessor.
The chassis is mostly a carry-over from the predecessor.
Yes - the 17-inch notebook comes with three fans.
Yes - the 17-inch notebook comes with three fans.
The price depends on the configuration.
The price depends on the configuration.
The build quality is solid.
The build quality is solid.
Same is true for the rigidity of the chassis.
Same is true for the rigidity of the chassis.
Both covers are easily removed.
Both covers are easily removed.
Great: all components are accessible.
Great: all components are accessible.
Choices: HDDs, SSDs and hybrid drives can all be used.
Choices: HDDs, SSDs and hybrid drives can all be used.
A part of the hardware is hidden under the keyboard.
A part of the hardware is hidden under the keyboard.
Namely two of the RAM slots and one mSATA slot.
Namely two of the RAM slots and one mSATA slot.
One of the GPU coolers is pretty standard...
One of the GPU coolers is pretty standard...
...but the heatpipes of the second GPU are extremely long.
...but the heatpipes of the second GPU are extremely long.
On the bottom: two RAM slots and one mSATA slot.
On the bottom: two RAM slots and one mSATA slot.
Of course also included: the wireless module.
Of course also included: the wireless module.
The gaming notebook comes with two 2.5-inch slots for hard drives (9.5 mm).
The gaming notebook comes with two 2.5-inch slots for hard drives (9.5 mm).
The 17-inch notebook ships with a high-capacity lithium ion battery.
The 17-inch notebook ships with a high-capacity lithium ion battery.
The webcam in its usual spot in the display bezel.
The webcam in its usual spot in the display bezel.
The notebook uses Intel's Haswell architecture.
The notebook uses Intel's Haswell architecture...
...and is based on Clevo's P370SM barebone.
...and is based on Clevo's P370SM barebone.
A subwoofer improves the sound quality.
A subwoofer improves the sound quality.
The keyboard backlight can be deactivated.
The keyboard backlight can be deactivated.
Responsible for the sound: speakers from Onkyo.
Responsible for the sound: speakers from Onkyo.
The WASD keys are marked.
The WASD keys are marked.
The right palm rest is home to a fingerprint reader.
The right palm rest is home to a fingerprint reader.
Not everybody will like the layout of the keyboard...
Not everybody will like the layout of the keyboard...
...nor the wobbly touchpad.
...nor the wobbly touchpad.
In addition to the DVD-RW drive, a Blu-ray drive is also an option.
In addition to the DVD-RW drive, a Blu-ray drive is also an option.
The display port has been replaced with a Thunderbolt port.
The display port has been replaced with a Thunderbolt port.
Four USB 3.0 ports are pretty generous.
Four USB 3.0 ports are pretty generous.
The fan exhaust on the back
The fan exhaust on the back
The ports are well-placed.
The ports are well-placed.
The high-end notebook can control a surround-sound speaker system.
The high-end notebook can control a surround-sound speaker system.
A massive power adapter like this is a rarity.
A massive power adapter like this is a rarity.
The user manual comes in different languages and is surprisingly informative.
The user manual comes in different languages and is surprisingly informative.

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Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight

XMG Apex 17 (late 23) review: a QHD gaming laptop with an RTX 4060
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XMG Apex 15 (Late 23) review: The gaming laptop with an RTX 4050 that delivers good runtimes
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, Phoenix (Zen 4, Ryzen 7040) R7 7840HS, 15.60", 2.214 kg
SCHENKER XMG Core 16 gaming laptop review - A real competitor to the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 16
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, Phoenix (Zen 4, Ryzen 7040) R7 7840HS, 16.00", 2.39 kg
Schenker Key 17 Pro (Early 23) review: 4k gaming notebook with Core i9 and RTX 4090
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13900HX, 17.30", 3.44 kg
Schenker XMG Pro 15 E23 (PD50SND-G) gaming laptop reviewed: Here's to work-play balance!
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13900HX, 15.60", 2.4 kg
Schenker XMG Focus 17 (E23) in review: Gaming laptop with RTX 4070 doesn't skimp on performance
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13900HX, 17.30", 2.9 kg

Links

  • Manufacturer's Information

Price Comparison

Pros

+Bright FullHD display
+Easy to upgrade/maintain
+Lots of configuration options
+Thunderbolt port
+Up to four hard drives
+Keyboard is backlit
+Good sound
+Very good performance
+No bloatware
 

Cons

-Massive and heavy chassis
-No graphics switching
-High power consumption
-Very noisy
-Touchpad clatters
-Battery life is average
-Clunky power adapter

Shortcut

What we like

Very few systems are so easy to upgrade and maintain. Equipment and features approach the level of desktop PCs.

What we'd like to see

A better touchpad is on top of our list.

What surprises us

Clevo produces chassis - but still fails with fan control.

The competition

17-inch high-end notebooks with updated hardware like the Asus G750, the One K73-3N, the MSI GT70, or the Schenker XMG P703.

Rating

SCHENKER XMG P723 - 06/25/2014 v4(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
82 / 98 → 84%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
68%
Connectivity
80 / 81 → 99%
Weight
46 / 10-66 → 64%
Battery
70%
Display
81%
Games Performance
94%
Application Performance
95%
Temperature
84 / 95 → 88%
Noise
58 / 90 → 64%
Average
77%
84%
Gaming - Weighted Average
Florian Glaser, 2013-07-16 (Update: 2018-05-15)